Cavs-Heat matchup has lost its luster

Monday

A national TV audience might want the gift receipt for today’s Christmas present in Cleveland — the Cavs vs. the Heat.

A national TV audience might want the gift receipt for today’s Christmas present in Cleveland — the Cavs vs. the Heat.

It looked like a great matchup months ago when the NBA released its schedule. Miami won the NBA title two seasons ago, and Cleveland reached the NBA Finals last year.

But plenty of luster has been lost on this star-studded 2:30 p.m. matchup of the Eastern Conference’s last two champions.

Yes, it still features LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal. But their teams are a combined 15 games under .500 and neither team is among the conference’s top eight. Injuries have hurt each team, but their problems go beyond that.

The Cavs, one of the league’s top defensive teams a season ago, routinely struggle to stop anyone these days. They have lost 10 of 13 games and are 12-16 overall, good for ninth in the conference.

“I think it’s been a common theme that when we win, we play great defense,” point guard Daniel Gibson said.

“But in our losses, teams are running up the score, getting a lot of points. That’s basically the line that we keep crossing. If we play good defense, we’re winning. If not, we’re losing.”

Cavs Head Coach Mike Brown is further frustrated not only by defensive breakdowns, but by how his team plays the game.

“Last year I thought we played with more energy and more passion, from who ever was on the bench watching in street clothes ... to our starters,” Brown said. “Right now, at times, we’ve come out flat. We dig ourselves a hole. When you dig yourself a hole in this game, it’s tough to get out of.”

The Cavs have allowed their last two opponents, the Lakers and Warriors, to each shoot better than 64 percent in the first quarter.

“We don’t want to put ourselves in the position where we have to come from behind,” James said.

Miami began its season that way, getting off to an 0-5 start. The Heat are 8-19, last in the Southeast Division and tied for last in the conference. O’Neal has struggled, Wade was injured early on and just last week veteran backup center Alonzo Mourning was lost with a season-ending knee injury.

What is encouraging for them is the Heat are 4-4 over their last eight games. And after failing to break 90 points in six of their first seven games, they have gone over 100 in nine of their last 11.

Wade hit a buzzer-beat Saturday to beat Utah, 104-102, as six Miami players scored double-figures and the Heat shot 51.9 percent from the field.

“I’m not into winning anymore, and I’m not into losing,” Heat Head Coach Pat Riley told Miami media Saturday. “I'm into fighting. I think we have to live for the fight.”

Brown would like to see more fight from the Cavs. He has questioned their energy level and sense of urgency several times of late.

“I think we all come to the gym with the mindset of coming out and competing,” said Cavs guard Larry Hughes, who is shooting 23 percent from the floor over the last six games. “Things happen during the course of the game, sometimes things don’t go your way.”

The Cavs have not consistently fought through those situations over the last month.

“I’ve got to keep trying to help these guys as best as I can,” Brown said. “... It’s something that hopefully can get fixed, sooner than later.”